Post Of The Week – Sunday January 15th 2017

We’ve been thinking a lot about research methods over the past couple of weeks. This article looks at the popularity of growth mindset and at the research which underlies it. The central claim is that the evidence is not as strong as you’d think it would be. Peer review, significance, replicability and objectivity are all issues here. That’s why we learn about them.

On this theme of features of science, this image comes from this article which explains what the problems are in doing good science and how things might be changed.

2) Risk Factors For Eating Disorders

Successful treatment often requires early intervention. This article explains findings from a large scale study which looks at symptoms related to eating disorders. Body dissatisfaction and, in girls, depressive symptoms are highlighted. We are not here in the realm of research finding biomarkers. Rather, this is a focus on psychological symptoms on which schools and health professionals might act.

3) Psychosis And Cannabis

This video from the Institute Of Psychiatry follows a group of students through a day visit to learn more about the psychology of addiction. It gives you a good idea of the range of approaches which researchers adopt.

4) Being A Participant In A Randomised Controlled Trial

When we read accounts of RCTs, it is easy to assume that the participants for these studies somehow appear as if from nowhere. This article goes some way to correct this impression. The author explains how she came to be part of the RCT at the Institute Of Psychiatry into the use of magnetic stimulation of the brain to treat anorexia nervosa.

5) Zapping The Brain

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been touted as an important development in the treatment of mental illness. The evidence until now has been mixed but the review in this article looks much more promising. The task now is to do bigger trials and to work out exactly how to use it.

6) Taking Risks While Mum’s Around

That’s the theme of this article from the BPS Digest. As usual, there are more good things from the BPS Digest here.